Program Officer
Ruth Mott Foundation
Kenneth Frierson is a thought leader and administrator with more than 15 years of professional experience in education and philanthropy. He currently serves as a program officer at the Ruth Mott Foundation, where he is responsible for a diverse grant portfolio and helps to steward funds to programs and organizations in the Flint community – some of which he participated in as a child. Frierson is a leader in the foundation’s Race, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion work and co-leads its civic engagement initiatives.
Frierson has worked in each sector of education, from a K-12 teacher to a successful administrator at the undergraduate and graduate levels, creating educational pathways for underrepresented youth.
Throughout his career, Frierson has successfully launched programs and offices on college campuses. He was the first director of the Office of First-Year Experience at Lane College, launched the Office of Student Retention at Shaw University, and developed the Office of Admissions and Enrollment Management at the Institute for Clinical Social Work.
Frierson is involved in the local community through faith-based organizations, mentorship, and athletics. He serves on the Flint & Genesee’s Young Professionals board and provides service to both Wayne and Washtenaw counties through various roles. He is also a registered sports official with the Michigan High School Athletic Association and officiates college basketball games in the region.
Frierson is a proud HBCU alum of Lane College and graduate of Eastern Michigan University. He earned a leadership certificate from the University of Southern California’s Center for Enrollment Research, Policy and Practice and has extensive experience in program design, people development, and strategic planning.